Traditionally, Christmas has always been about the holiday spirit. Every person and every family has their own traditions from putting up the Christmas tree to drinking hot chocolate. There’s plenty to love about Christmas. Gifts are a major part of the Christmas experience. Sometimes, they may even take precedence over intangibles. Have we been brainwashed into thinking gift giving and gift receiving are the foundations of Christmas? Who benefits from this?

For many, Christmas is about the birth of Jesus. As you drive around during the holiday season, you’ll certainly see nativity scenes any and everywhere. This religious side of the holiday season certainly doesn’t apply to everyone and isn’t a prerequisite for celebration, but it is definitely “the reason for the season” for many people.

In America, the amount of Christmas stuff is insane. For almost a month and a half we have Christmas shoved down our throats: literally through christmas cookies, aurally through Christmas music, and visually through the countless number of ads.

In capitalism, a country’s trade and industry are controlled by private owners seeking profit. A simpler way to think about this is that there’s always someone ready to make a profit off of the needs of others. America runs on capitalism and Christmas is probably the most capitalistic holiday there is. Big business stands to benefit the most from this link between Christmas and buying everything in existence. Those endless commercials I mentioned before have me wanting to buy a new Lexus I have absolutely no need or money for. While this is problematic, there is one small benefit to the consumerist frenzy. Consider a small, family-owned business that serves as a family’s primary source of income. Christmas certainly benefits them in a sense of livelihood. Any malice or evil one may attach to capitalism can surely be forgiven in an instance like this.

In my opinion, supporting a small, locally owned business is closer to what Christmas should really be about. Don’t get me wrong, I love getting presents as much as the next person, but I think we’ve told a lie that the quality of one’s Christmas is dependent on the quality of gifts you give and receive.